Stories in New Zealand

2024 Oceania Photo Contest Winners

The Nature Conservancy is proud to announce the New Zealand winners of our 2024 contest.

December 10, 2024

2024 Oceania Photo Contest New Zealand highly commended © Stuart Attwood / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

The inaugural 2024 Oceania Photo Contest saw close to 2,000 incredible entries submitted from photographers across the Oceania region. Nearly 400 entries came from New Zealand which highlights the unique biodiversity of Oceania.

Each image, across every category, brought something remarkable and unique, showcasing not just technical expertise but a deep understanding of storytelling and the moments that truly make us stop and think.

People & Nature

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New Zealand Category Winner, People & Nature

Roger Smith, New Zealand

A sand beach with tire tracks. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Winner “Keep Vehicles off Beaches”, Waikanae Beach, Kāpiti Coast © Roger Smith / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Runner Up, People & Nature

Jean Christophe Varnier, New Zealand

Penguins being observed by people in Antarctica. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Runner Up, “Nice to Meet You," Antarctica © Jean Christophe Varnier / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Highly Commended, People & Nature

Stuart Attwood, New Zealand

Human holds pull down a green sack to reveal a green bird. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Highly Commended "Released," Sanctuary Mountain/Maungatautari, Waikato © Stuart Attwood / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

PLants & Fungi

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A close up of white Marasmius mushrooms showing its folds — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** Being white typically means you will be overlooked in most cases when you're a mushroom. Photographing white subject matters like these Marasmius mushrooms are challenging as lightings could prove tricky specially when I am relying on natural light to bring out the subtle beauty of these bland objects. © Chin Kang Chia / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Category Winner, Plants & Fungi

Crystal Richardson, New Zealand

A cluster of fungi with light behind it so it glows an orange color. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** Taken as part of an ongoing personal project to photograph the beauty in tiny ecosystems that often go unseen to spread more awareness of their importance. © Crystal Richardson / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

Runner Up, Plants & Fungi

Chin Kang Chia, New Zealand

New Zealand Highly Commended, Plants & Fungi

Caitlin Germanis, New Zealand

An intricate web of dew-drops hanging together of lichen on a branch almost like a chandelier — **Lacy Lichen** New Zealand Highly Commended "Lacy Lichen," Waimauku Residence, Auckland, New Zealand © Caitlin Germanis / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

Water

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New Zealand Category Winner, Water

Jayne Parker, New Zealand

A small humpback whale swims down to meet a vertical adult humpback whale. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Category Winner "Humpback Ballet," Va’vau, Tonga © Jayne Parker / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Runner Up, Water

Caitlin Germanis, New Zealand

A beach with a small outcropping of rock in a rounded formation with water in the middle reflecting the moon in the sky. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Runner Up "Moon Over Moeraki," Moeraki Beach, South Island © Caitlin Germanis / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Highly Commended, Water

Chloe Mason, New Zealand

A fluid mix of pinks, purples, blues and whites. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Highly Commended "The Sea and the Self," Mākara Beach, Wellington © Chloe Mason / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

Lands

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New Zealand Category Winner, Lands

Hamish Ashton, New Zealand

A stand of trees in a sandstorm that is so grainy it looks like a hand drawn illustration. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Category Winner "Sand Forest", Gisborne, New Zealand © Hamish Ashton / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Runner Up, Lands

Sally McGunnigle-Trail, New Zealand

A low mountain looms among dark clouds with striking moss covered lava rocks in the foreground. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Runner Up "Forged in Fire," Þingvellir National Park, Iceland © Sally McGunnigle-Trail / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Highly Commended, Lands

Sally McGunnigle-Trail, New Zealand

A mountain range with golden grasses in the foreground. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Highly Commended "McKenzie Country," Twizel, New Zealand © Sally McGunnigle-Trail / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

climate

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New Zealand Category Winner, Climate

Bailee Barton, New Zealand

aerial image of desert and water meeting. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Category Winner "Opuha," Lake Ophua, Fairlie, New Zealand © Bailee Barton / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Runner Up, Climate

Jacky Challis, New Zealand

Ocean waves surges up on a green and brown cliffs while sea spray rises over the cliffs, a small village can be seen in the distance. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Runner Up "Upside Down Waterfall," Gásadalur village, Faroe Islands © Jacky Challis / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Highly Commended, Climate

Michelle Lassche, New Zealand

Storm clouds move across the sea and sky with a boat about to be overtaken in the distance. — **2024 OCEANIA PHOTO CONTEST** New Zealand Highly Commended, "Ship Chasing Storm at Sea," Arapaoa Island, Cook Strait, New Zealand © Michelle Lassche / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

Wildlife

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New Zealand Category Winner, Wildlife

Stuart Attwood, New Zealand

a green duck dives down in the water with brown grassy bottom. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Category Winner "Duck Dive," Christchurch, New Zealand © Stuart Attwood / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand Runner Up, Wildlife

Roger Smith, New Zealand

Two blackbirds with vibrant read beaks and eyes touch beaks over a black and red chick looking up at them. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Runner Up "Feed me, feed me," Waimanu Lagoons, Waikanae Beach, Kāpiti Coast, New Zealand © Roger Smith / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

Honourable Mention, Wildlife

Chris Paulin, New Zealand

Sand with a camouflaged spider. — **2024 Oceania Photo Contest** New Zealand Honourable Mention "Cryptic Coloration," Kāpiti, New Zealand © Chris Paulin / 2024 TNC Oceania Photo Contest

New Zealand

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